It’s been a long time between drinks, so to speak, for Australian Pogues fans, and as the unmistakable sounds of The Clash’s Straight to Hell emanate from the PA at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, a sense of anticipation builds in the crowd. When the music fades, the house lights brighten and the band walks on to stage, they’re greeted with rapturous applause. Vocalist Shane MacGowan ambles out not far behind the rest of the band to even greater roars of approval and the band launches straight into Streams of Whiskey.

MacGowan utters a brief “thank you very much”, barely pausing before If I Should Fall From Grace With God gets an airing. MacGowan might be brief on between-song banter these days, but any doubts over his abilities to effectively lead the band through their impressive back catalogue quickly dissipate after he lets out a bellow after the song’s first verse.

The band slow things down a notch for The Broad Majestic Shannon before their incendiary take on Greenland Whale Fisheries. Next up is a heartfelt recital of A Pair of Brown Eyes, one of MacGowan’s most poignant and poetic ballads, after which point the singer leaves the stage to let tin whistle player Spider Stacy – who’s clearly enjoying his moment in the spotlight – take over vocal duties for Waiting For Herb-era hit Tuesday Morning.

MacGowan then saunters back on to the stage and mutters “Spider,” upwardly waving his arms from his waist to above his head repeatedly to urge the crowd to show their appreciation, which they eagerly do, before he introduces Kitty as “another frigging love song”. MacGowan seems to be enjoying himself this evening, using some of the brief vocal-free moments of the song to sit on the drum-riser and playfully pull faces at members of the audience.

The up-tempo Sunny Side of The Street gets off to a false start, but the band quickly recovers and treats the crowd to an energetic rendition, which includes guitarist Philip Chevron standing on a foldback speaker, much to the crowd’s delight. It’s unclear whether MacGowan’s ensuing exit from the stage after Sunny Side is planned or not, but nevertheless the band effortlessly segues into a rousing rendition of instrumental number Repeal of the Licensing Laws – during which accordion player James Fearnley darts back and forth across the stage with the vigour of a man half his age, and then concludes with what is probably the only accordion-accompanied power-slide most audience members have ever witnessed.

MacGowan returns for the band’s well-worn cover of Eric Bogle’s And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, which sounds as earnest and moving as it did on Rum Sodomy and the Lash, and evokes the biggest sing-along of the evening, before energetic performances of Body of an American and Boys of the County Hell. Chevron then takes over the mic for a passionate rendition of Thousands are Sailing, the song he originally penned for the If I Should Fall From Grace With God album.

The band then wrap up the set proper with Dirty Old Town, Bottle of Smoke and Sickbed of Cuchulainn, before returning for an encore comprised of Sally MacLennane, Rainy Night in Soho and The Irish Rover, which MacGowan dedicates to recently departed Dubliners banjo player Barney McKenna. After Fearnley thanks the crowd and says he hopes the Pogues return sooner than 22 years’ time, the band exit again, but return for another two song encore – Poor Paddy and a typically frenetic Fiesta. “That was f---ing great, thank you,” Spider tells the audience as he departs the stage. Judging by the smiles on the punters’ faces as they shuffle out of the venue, the feeling is mutual.

For the record, Shane's departures from the stage for "Tuesday Morning", "Repeal of the Licensing Laws" and "Thousands Are Sailing" are all always scheduled. He has financial business to conduct in his onstage tent or "quick change room" as it is colloquially known in the theatre.

It’s been a long time between drinks, so to speak, for Australian Pogues fans, and as the unmistakable sounds of The Clash’s Straight to Hell emanate from the PA at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, a sense of anticipation builds in the crowd. When the music fades, the house lights brighten and the band walks on to stage, they’re greeted with rapturous applause. Vocalist Shane MacGowan ambles out not far behind the rest of the band to even greater roars of approval and the band launches straight into Streams of Whiskey....The band then wrap up the set proper with Dirty Old Town, Bottle of Smoke and Sickbed of Cuchulainn, before returning for an encore comprised of Sally MacLennane, Rainy Night in Soho and The Irish Rover, which MacGowan dedicates to recently departed Dubliners banjo player Barney McKenna. After Fearnley thanks the crowd and says he hopes the Pogues return sooner than 22 years’ time, the band exit again, but return for another two song encore – Poor Paddy and a typically frenetic Fiesta. “That was f---ing great, thank you,” Spider tells the audience as he departs the stage. Judging by the smiles on the punters’ faces as they shuffle out of the venue, the feeling is mutual.

For the record, Shane's departures from the stage for "Tuesday Morning", "Repeal of the Licensing Laws" and "Thousands Are Sailing" are all always scheduled. He has financial business to conduct in his onstage tent or "quick change room" as it is colloquially known in the theatre.

ROFL . . .The Pogues' entourage these days not only contains wives, groupies, roadies, managers, . . . but also a financial adviser?And I thought Shane disappears from stage every now and then to have a bit of work done on his make up and maybe a cat nap.

For the record, Shane's departures from the stage for "Tuesday Morning", "Repeal of the Licensing Laws" and "Thousands Are Sailing" are all always scheduled. He has financial business to conduct in his onstage tent or "quick change room" as it is colloquially known in the theatre.

ROFL . . .The Pogues' entourage these days not only contains wives, groupies, roadies, managers, . . . but also a financial adviser?And I thought Shane disappears from stage every now and then to have a bit of work done on his make up and maybe a cat nap.

Cheers for that article. Who is this Mackenzie fellow? I don't see him in my Herald each morning - I see Sheehan and Henderson and it's enough to make you weep. No wonder the honourable member for Grayndler was in the moshpit cursing and letting off steam - his fellow comrades' greatest achievement being able to lurk so far to the right as to make an excellent Tory while still being able to call themselves Labor men. Being a young bugger who does take a slight interest in Australian labour history, I don't claim to be an authority on the subject, but, by christ, Fitzpatrick, Turner etc, Svensen must all be turning in their graves.